Apparatus for issuing metal checks and the like.



W. G. GILMORE. APPARATUS FOR ISSUING METAL CHECKS AND THE LIKE.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1911. 1,029,603.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

,d' j a COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO..WI\SHINUTON, n. c.

Patented June 18, 1912.

W. G. GILMORE. APPARATUS r011 ISSUING METAL CHECKS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1911.

2 SHEBTSSHBET 2' Wineddtdi- A I Patented June 18, 1912.

srarns PATENT @F FIC HZ.

WILLIAM GEO. GILMORE, OF STOCKPORT, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR ISSUING METAL CHECKS AND THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Gnonen GILMORE, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain and Ireland, and resident of Stockport, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for IssuingMetal Checks and the Like, of which the following is a. specification.

These improvements relate to machines as used for issuing metal checksand the like one by one from the pay box of a theater or other likeplace, and they refer in partieularto check-issuing machines of the kindin which a column of the checks is fed up ward against a fixed plate andin which the uppermost check is pushed away from the column anddelivered on to a pay desk (or down a chute) by means of a slidingmember or ejector operated either by hand or foot.

The improvements also refer to check issuing machines in which a counteris used for counting the number of checks issued.

Heretofore, in check-issuing machines of the kind referred to thecounter has been operated by the said sliding member or ejector throughgearing. IVith any such arrangement there is a possibility of the checksbeing delivered without the counter being operated. Moreover, thearrangement is liable to get out of order and is not easily repaired.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine in which a smalllever arm on the counter axis shall directly engage a hole in theendmost check of the column while in the column, and in which the saidlever arm shall be acted upon directly by the check while being ejected.

A further object is to provide means for returning the lever arm afterbeing moved and released by the endmost check and in such a manner as tocause it to be in position for entering the hole of the next checkbefore the preceding check has been fully ejected and the ejector hasmade its return movement, thereby rendering it practically impossiblefor the lever'arm to be held in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. November 3, 1911.

Patented June 18, 1912.

Serial No. 658,337.

the advanced position while the next check is moved up and pushedforward.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and compactconstruction of foot-operated machine.

Upon the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation,partly in section of the improved machine. Fig. 2 illustrates a plan ofthe upper part of the machine with the cover plate and counter removed.Fig. 3 illustrates a plan of the counter and the plate which carries thecounter. Fig. 4 illustrates an enlarged side sectional elevation of theupper part of the machine, this view being designed to show the positionof a check, the ejector plate, and the counter-operating arm at themoment of ejecting the check and just before the counter-operating armmoves back. Fig. 5 illustrates how the invention may be applied to amachine in which the checks are fed downward.

As shown, the machine is fitted to a pay desk a such as is commonly usedin theater pay boxes. In such desk is formed an elongated opening andupon and secured by screws or bolts and nuts to the top of the desk andfitting the said opening is a thin metal plate Z). In such plate is aslot 6 and from the underside of the plate depends ashort tube 0, whichin size and shape is adapted to form the threat in which the upperseries of the column of checks shall lie prior to being ejected.Entirely covering the plate Z) and resting on its three raised edges isa further plate (Z, the two plates forming between them a cavity orspace for the reception of the slide or ejector e. The further plate (Zwill preferably be soldered in position.

In the plate (Z is an opening LZ and over such opening is fitted(soldered) the counter f, adapted, by preference, to register up to99999. Secured to and depending from the actuating spindle of thecounter is the small lever arm f, which is of such a length that whenvertical it projects downward through the opening (Z and slightly belowthe plate (Z, see Figs. 1 and 4. By means of a spring 9 and peg i andthe edge of the plate (Z which acts as a stop, the lever arm f isnormally held vertical. Entirely inclosing the pegspring and counter,except that part of the counter through which the numerals show, is acover or shield j, which is, by preference, soldered to the plate (Z, sothat only by unsoldering the cover can itbe removed, which thus affordsa safeguard against tampering with the counter.

To the floor or other fixed part below the pay desk are secured twoangle iron guides 75 between which is slidably fitted a wood or otherblock Z. Upon this block rests and is fitted the lower end of a long redat which rod at its upper end extends into the tube 0. Upon the rod,which is preferably wider in one direction than the other, is looselythreaded a plate or sleeve n having arms 11.. Also loosely threaded uponthe rod is a column of checks 0, each check being formed with av slot ofcorresponding shape to that of the rod. To the arms a of the sleeve n,by means of hooks 11 are secured cords p which at their other ends areeach secured to the periphery of a widefaced spring drum g. Under thetension of the springs within the drums the column of checks is heldwith the topmost check gently pressing against the underface of theplate (Z, and, as the checks are delivered, the cords 72 wrap upon thedrums which are each wide enough to allow for the coil ing of the cord.

Tn the slide or ejector c is an open-ended slot 6 and depending from theunderside of the ejector and through the slot 6 in plate 7) is an' arm 0To the underface of the pay desk is secured a further arm or bracket rand upon this bracket is pivotally mounted a quadrant lever s. Qneextremity of this lever is connected by a link 25 to the arm 6 and theother extremity of the lever is connected by a rod 14 to a foot pedal0;. By means of a spring 20 adjustably secured to the arm 6 and to abracket 00, the slide or ejector e is normally held retracted and thefoot pedal o held raised, as shown.

The working of the parts to deliver a check is as followsz-The operatorplacing his foot on and pressing down the pedal 2; causes it to pulldown the rod u, rock the lever 8 about its fulcrum, and, through link 1,advance the slide 6 against the edge of the uppermost check. The effectof the continued movement of the slide is to push the top check forwardand out through the open end of the space between the plates Z), (Z. Asthe cheek passes forward the lever arm f of the counter which haspreviously been projecting into the slotin the check, is also moved inthe direction of the arrow seen in Fig. until the check passes under itsfree end, when it (the lever arm) remains stationary until the outeredge of the check passes from beneath it, at which moment the lever arm,losing its support, instantly flies back, under the pull of the spring 9to its vertical position. Atsuch moment the slide a still pressesagainst the check, but, owing to the slot 6' it offers no obstruction tothe lever arm, which is thus free to move back before the slide hascompleted its forward movement, or, at least before it moves back andbefore the next check can rise up to take the place of the ejectedcheck. On the slide being fully retracted, which is efiected by thespring 10, the next check of the column rises up and bears against theplate (Z, when the operations may be repeated.

The lever arm will preferably operate the counter on its forwardmovement, but, if so desired, it may operate it on its return movement.The counter will also preferably be arranged with the numerals readablethrough the opening in the pay box window, so that the manager or otherofficial may be able to see the numbers without going into the pay box.

The checks may be made of metal, or they may be made of bone orcelluloid. They may also be differently shaped or (and) colored todenote their value. Usually the checks will be about 1% diameter and theslot in each will be about i" long, so that there shall only be acomparatively short distance between the end of the slot and the outeredge of the check, and so also that the lever arm shall be made free toreturn, after operating the counter, as quickly as possible and beforethe check is fully ejected.

The checks are placed upon the rod in prior to its being introduced intothe machine. To recharge the machine with checks the block Z is removedfrom the guides 70, the cords p unhooked from the arms of the sleeve 91,and the rod and sleeve removed from the machine. A fresh rod, fullycharged with checks is then placed in the machine, the cords rehooked tothe sleeve arms, and the block Z replaced be tween the guides 70.

The working mechanism below the desk a will, of course, be inclosed andonly accessible by means of a key.

. From a consideration of the working of the machine as beforedescribed, it should now be seen that one of its important advantages isthat it leaves the operators hands entirely free to take money and givechange. A further advantage is that there are comparatively few partswhicn are all accessible and easy of repair. The main advantage,however, is that the counter lever arm is pocketed in the hole of theendmost check and cannot be moved out without operating the counter, andsuch lever arm is operated directly by each check as it leaves thecolumn. Further, the lever arm is moved back ready to be pocketed by thenext check before the preceding one has been fully ejected, therebyreducing the risks of an inaccurate record to a minimum.

lVhile the invention is chiefly applicable to check-issuing machines inwhich the col umn of checks is fed upward, it will be understood that itmay be applied to checkissuing machines in which the column of checks isfed downward. Fig. 5 illustrates this application of the invention, thecounter f being arranged in a box 3 below the desk a and the numeralsshowing through a slot in the desk, while the arm 7 on the counter axisprojects upward and through the opening 6 in the plate 6 and also intothe hole in the lowermost of the column of checks, this latter being feddownward against the plate (Z by gravity. The slide plate 6 is operatedin precisely the same manner as the plate 6 in Fig. 1, and a looseweight may be added to feed the checks downward.

In each example of the invention the counter f is of the kind which isoperated through a ratchet wheel and pawl or free wheel clutch, the armf having effect on the counter in moving in one direction only.

hat I claim is 1. In combination in a check-issuing machine, a rodadapted to carry a column of checks, a fixed plate having an opening andagainst which plate the endmost check of the column of checks presses, aslidableplate or ejector by which the endmost check of the column nextthe said fixed plate may be ejected, such slidable plate or ejector atthat end next the check having an open ended slot, means for operatingsuch slide or ejector to eject the check and return the slide to itsnormal position, a counter secured to the said fixed plate, a lever armon the counter axis, the free end of which normally projects through theopening in the plate and into the hole in the endmost check while in thecolumn, the said opening being large enough to allow the arm to be movedto operate the counter, and a spring by which the said arm is normallyheld against one edge of the said opening and'by which, after beingmoved by the check to operate the counter and released by the check, itis also returned, and caused to again abut against the edge of theopening in the fixed plate ready to project into the hole of the nextcheck in the column as such check is moved forward against the plate, asset forth.

2. In combination, in a check-issuing machine, a rod adapted to carry acolumn of checks, a. fixed desk having an orifice in it through whichthe checks may pass, a plate secured to the said desk and in which isalso an opening, the plate and its opening overlying the said orifice inthe desk, a slide or ejector for ejecting the endmost check of thecolumn of checks, and having an openended slot at that end next thecheck, means for pressing the column of checks toward and the endmostcheck against the said fixed plate, a counter above and secured to thesaid fixed plate, a lever arm on the counter axis, the free end of whichnormally projects through the opening in the plate and into the openingin the endmost check while in the column, and a spring by which the saidarm is normally held against one edge of the said opening and by whichit is also returned, after being moved by the check to operate thecounter and released by the check, and caused to again abut against theedge of the opening in the plate ready to project into the opening ofthe next check in the column as such check is moved forward against theplate, as set forth.

3. In combination in a check-issuing machine a fixed plate having anopening in it and against which plate the endmost check of the column ofchecks presses, a slidable plate or ejector for ejecting the checks oneby one and said plate having an open-ended slot at that end next thecheck, a counter secured to the fixed plate, a lever arm on the axis ofthe counter the free end of which extends through the opening in thefixed plate and into the hole in the endmost check while in the columnthe said opening being large enough to allow the lever arm to be movedto operate the counter, and a spring whereby the said arm is heldnormally against one edge of the said opening and, after being moved bythe check to operate the counter and released by the check, is returnedto its normal position, the slot in the slide or ejector being such asto allow the lever arm .to resume its normal position immediately thearm leaves the check, as set forth.

4:. In combination in a check issuing machine, a rod adapted to carry acolumn of checks, means for detachably holding such rod in position, afixed desk, an orifice in such desk through which the checks on the rodmay pass, a plate secured to the desk having an opening, helical springsand drums secured to the desk, a sleeve on the said check carrying rod,cords secured at one end to the drums and to the said sleeve at theother end whereby the column of checks is pressed toward and the endmostchecks against the said fixed plate, a slide or ejector having anopen-ended slot in that end next the check guides for said ejector, abell crank lever below the desk, a link connecting one arm of such leverto the ejector, a foot-treadle and a rod connecting such toot treadle tothe other arm of the bell-crank lever, a spring for returning theejector after being moved to eject a check, a counter above and securedto the fixed plate, a lever arm on the axis of such counter the free endof which extends through the opening in in the counter except thenumerals and the the plate and into the endmost check of the spring, asset forth. 10 column of checks while in the column, a In witness whereofI have hereunto set spring for holding the lever arm normally my hand inthe presence of two witnesses. against one edge of the opening in theplate, WM. GEO. GILMORE. which opening is large enough to allow ofWitnesses:

the movement of the arm to operate the P. D. BAILEY,

counter, and a plate with slot for covering F. O. PENNINGTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

